Tradition and traditions...

"Curiously, these small signs of the restoration of old and consolidated traditions have, up to now, affected only the regular wardrobe of the Pontiff, not the liturgical one. The Pope has restored the Renaissance camauro, but, when celebrating Mass, he dons instead, at most times, extremely modern vestments." Andrea Tornielli, Il Giornale (September 07, 2006)

8 comments:

I think it's obvious. There is much entrenched opposition to liturgical tradition within the Vatican itself. From what I hear the CDW is still a Bugninite fortress despite some good appointees. Anyone who has worked within an organization knows how hard it is to change things once a course has been set--short of sacking everyone--which is not in this pope's character (and it has risks of its own). It is much easier for the pope to reintroduce tradition within the context of his own personal wardrobe. Whether he is slowly preparing the ground for something more, or the whole enterprise will grind to a halt "on the top of his head" (camauro and saturno) really remains to be seen.

Podatus you are absolutely correct.Anyone who has ever worked in a bureaucacy knows that absolute power means nothing if the people on the third and fourth level who are "loyal"to your face are working to undermine everything you do.The answer is fire everybody and relace them with poeple you trust,but that is untenable.However it has happened.I know a Cardinal who is zealous for the faith and was appointed to head one of the offices in the Curia by JPII.They were friends.The Cardinal told the Pope that some of the members he had appointed were dissenters.JPII dismissed the accusation probably thinking the cardinal was too rigid. So the Cardinal taped a meeting and then took the tape to the pope and played it.JPII sacked the entire commision and then had the cardinal reconstitute it.

First the regular wardrobe then, maybe, the liturgical one. But remember, he still has Marini there over his shoulder. Benedict has to dump Marini first before, I think, we can hope to see any of the better liturgical stuffs return.

They are not Marini's,they areBenedict's. He prefers the ancient full Gothic (chasuble,casula,means a little house).I made an effort to buy a chasuble similar to the one he wore on Pentecost and the agent inquired and learned that Benedict's vestments are made by German nuns who were making them for him while he was a cardinal.